The present invention relates generally to improvements in Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (“PACS”) and in particular to a web-based apparatus and method for remotely enhancing and monitoring a PACS.
Picture Archiving and Communication Systems are used for, among other things, storing, observing and analyzing images obtained in medical applications. PACS may be used with several technologies for observing the interior anatomy of a living being, for example with ultrasound, x-ray or PET images and the like. When using a Picture Archiving and Communication System, it may be desirable for several workstations at a hospital, clinic or laboratory, for example, to have access to PACS images and software to view and/or analyze the images.
Because of the rapid improvements in software for viewing and analyzing such images, it is often desirable to install or update software at each of the several workstations within a hospital. Because software bugs are also often detected after computer software is installed in the workstations, it is often necessary for an engineer to install software to “fix” or correct the bug. Such fixes or corrections are called software patches. Unfortunately, the process of installing the software or software patches on each of the workstations within a single hospital can be very costly and time-consuming. In the past, a field engineer would have to travel to each of the workstations individually and install software or software patches (as indicated in part in FIG. 1). Because each individual hospital may have 150 to 200 workstations or more, this process was very time-consuming and expensive. Moreover, the field engineer would have to be physically present at the hospital to install the software, which may take more of the engineer's time and cost even more money. Also, in some of the hospitals the computer may be present on different floors or other parts of the building which make the installation even more tedious. For example, the amount of the engineer's time taken to install software or software upgrades may be represented as:Time to upgrade N systems=(T*N)+X+Y*(N−1);where T is the time to install the software, N is the number of computers to be upgraded, X is the time taken for the FE to travel to and from to the site, and Y is the average time taken for the engineer to go from one computer to another.
Additionally, errors often occur when using Picture Archiving and Communication Systems in, for example, both the software and the display of images on individual workstations. Because the person utilizing the workstation, normally a radiologist or technician, cannot analyze and determine the source of the error, a field engineer must travel to the location of the workstation to determine the source of the error. Additionally, the engineer may have to look separately at several different workstations before finding the source of the error. Such errors may often be detected by reviewing log files, i.e., files that indicate the users of a workstation and when the users logged on and off. As a result, it is very costly and time-consuming for the field engineer to trouble-shoot errors occurring at individual workstations.
Past PACS and computer technology has not presented a Picture Archiving and Communication System or method used therewith that avoids the aforementioned problems of high cost and time consuming software installation on workstations and trouble-shooting of errors on individual PACS workstations.
A need has long existed for such a Picture Archiving and Communication System and method. A further need remains for an improved Picture Archiving and Communication System and method that enable a field engineer to remotely install software and to remotely find and correct errors in individually workstations. It is an object of the present invention to meet these and other needs.